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In this article you learn all about the things you should know about Heart Bypass Surgery, and the things you should avoid to eliminate the chances of having a heart attack. Before I go head long into this subject I must point out that I will not use long medical terms which to me are fine for Doctors to use, but not for the average person.

I should also point out that I am not a Doctor or am I affiliated with any thing medical, and that this article came about through the curiosity of my mind.

What is a Heart Bypass?
A heart bypass is performed by surgeons when the arteries that supply the heart with blood do not supply enough blood or oxygen. This is normally caused by the narrowing of the arteries that have a build up of a plaque type substance, and cholesterol. In severe cases even a small blood clot can block an artery which will cause a heart attack.

The heart bypass is a way of introducing more blood and oxygen back to the heart, and simply bypassing the troubled arteries.

Who gets these blocked arteries?
The actual figure is hard to define, yet I have read from one source that there are at least 500,000 cases of heart bypass in the United States alone each year, and probably well over one million heart attack cases as well. Men over the age of 45 are the most vulnerable, while the age for women is normally around 55 years old.

What causes blocked arteries?
If you have ever read any of my other articles you will have probably guessed that it’s your diet, or to many cigarettes.

The modern way of life tends to have glorious adverts showing how wonderful fast food is, and for a lot of people it’s convenient, and it’s as the name suggests, quick. Obesity is fast becoming an epidemic, and along with that it will cause health problems, after health problems.

How is it diagnosed?
On a normal trip to the Doctors and once you get over the age of 45 your Doctor will more than likely test your blood pressure. If this turns as a high reading there are several things he will do. Normally he will put you on tablets to bring the pressure down, and in the case of shortness of breath, or pains in the chest you will be put on an a electrocardiograph machine which will monitor you heart rate. Some Doctors will do that in all cases of high blood pressure.

If your readings look at all unusual you will be sent to see a specialist who will also try to diagnose why you having problems. These tests include ultrasound, ct scans, and sometimes the patient will be put on a treadmill to see how the heart copes with the stress of working hard.

Changing your diet to help in the prevention of a heart bypass.
It has been proved many times that we are what food we eat, and if you have a poor diet, you will have poor health. Eating foods with to high a fat content are one of the main culprits, and if you make sure that you have a good balanced diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables you will not go far wrong.

Medical Science has also proved that certain foods have a high level of acidity, and that the acidic part of the food will cling to the fat content of your body, and will produce the wrong type of cells that are needed for normal healthy life. These bad cells then will kill off the good cells which do the normal job of repairing anything that goes wrong.

So with your heart your arteries get clogged with cholesterol or plaque type substance, and then in turn your arteries narrow, and then you are in trouble.

I hope this didn’t frighten too many of you, because I know it’s difficult to change your diet as we all get set in our ways. I do know that it’s nice to eat a nice bar of chocolate, or to have a few biscuits with a coffee. Perhaps your weakness is French fries or maybe cake or crisps. We are all different, and we all have the same problems. One thing I do recommend is Green Tea, as this acts as antioxidant, and will speed up your metabolism giving you more energy, and at the same time helping you to loose weight.

My own Doctor has a favourite saying. “None of us get enough exercise, and that a good long walk each day will solve many problems.”

High cholesterol levels are linked to many health problems. The principle illnesses are thought to be thickening of the arteries and heart disease. These diseases are life threatening if left untreated so there is much emphasis on lowering cholesterol in topical programs and commercials on TV and radio. This article will discuss how to lower cholesterol and keep problems like heart disease at bay.

Although there are plenty of cholesterol medicines available, medication is often a last resort for doctors. If you are diagnosed with high cholestrol, a doctor will prescribe two treatments that are quite simple but require discipline and will power. They will advise that you eat low cholesterol foods and develop a regular exercise program.

Foods to lower cholesterol

Animal products, typically fatty meats and dairy products are a leading cause in the build up of LDL cholesterol known as ‘bad cholesterol’. Another widespread food additive is trans fat which is a man-made product that makes food tastier and acts as a preservative. These foods should be avoided. Instead a person should try to eat fresh foods.

There has been a popular slogan in advertising that promotes eating five pieces of fruit or vegetable a day. This is aimed at reducing cholesterol and preventing disease. It should be taken to heart. Replace any processed vegetable with fresh produce and have a regular stock of fruit available.

Other foods to eat to lower cholesterol include foods that contain whole grains. These are foods like cereals, brown rice or wholemeal pasta. If you eat meat then try to stick to lean cuts and remove any skin on chicken or other poultry. Use low fat or non-fat milk instead of full fat. Avoid using oil to cook your foods. If you use oil try to make it unsaturated vegetable oils like olive oil or canola. Fish is good for you, especially oily fish like salmon that contains omega 3 oils that are thought to be good for the body.

This is not so much a diet to lower cholesterol but rather a set of guidelines to follow to ensure that your diet is lower in animal and saturated fats. If followed it will help to lower cholesterol.

Exercise and cholesterol

Exercise will work on two levels. It will help you to lose weight and burn up fat, if you need to . This will put less stress on the body that will allow it to function efficiently. In terms of cholesterol it will improve the level of HDL cholesterol that helps to transport cholesterol to the liver where it is excreted. Exercise will also get the heart pumping that will push the blood through your system giving less chance for plague to stick to the walls of the arteries.

See your doctor before starting an exercise program. Build the program up rather than setting impossible goals immediately. Start by taking a 30 minute walk. Turn this into an hour over time. As you get more fit and active, you can be more adventurous with your exercises. Try dance or martial arts classes or join a squash league. Above all, try to do something everyday.

Eating a low fat diet and exercising are the simplest way to reduce cholesterol. If it is not too high then you will soon have it under control, otherwise persist with the treatment and it will soon be lower.